Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the defence sector's supply chain for rare earth metals does not depend on China.

In line with Vision 2035: Critical Minerals Strategy, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) contributes to wider government work to diversify the UK critical minerals supply chain, including rare earth metals, and reduce reliance on a single source.

We are working with industry through the Defence Industrial Joint Council (DIJC) and international partners such as NATO, G7, and other allies including Australia to improve the end-to-end visibility of critical mineral supply chains, diversify sources and ensure dependencies are actively managed and mitigated.